Recently, in a session, I was going on and on about how important self-care is as a way to manage PNES better. My patient stopped me and said, can I ask what do you mean by self-care because for me I’ve started eating more regularly and resting but I wonder if this is what you […]
I am pleased to announce the publication of our Letter to the Editor in Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy:“A call for reflection on unintended consequences: Should ‘functional/dissociative seizures’ replace ‘psychogenic nonepileptic seizures’?”by Lorna Myers, Anton Scamvougeras, Lenka Kramska, and Julia Doss.Read it here: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1nKCV3mqOkYIit The Background on this Letter: The ILAE Proposal and Our Response
Why healthy scientific debate matters for PNES patients’ wellbeing and clinical care Read More »
In the field of Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES, also known as functional or dissociative seizures), nothing is more important or necessary than delivering treatments that actually work, that therapists can learn quickly and confidently, and that remain truly accessible — both financially and in terms of the time commitment required.This treatment was reported on in
What is a SAP? Seizure action plans are personalized, written documents created with your healthcare provider and include your diagnosis, a description of your typical episodes, and instructions for others witnessing the seizure on how to respond appropriately. They also typically include the name and number of your emergency contact person. Sample SAP:Seizure Action Plan
Seizure Action Plans (SAP) for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) Read More »
The three items listed in the title of this blog post might seem unrelated but they were part of an article that was published last month. The article drew some useful and thought-provoking conclusions that might be useful for clinicians working with PNES. The study described in “Characteristics of patients diagnosed with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures
Driving, depression, and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) Read More »
PNES Poem by Nita Dholakia To wake up in the morning is what I wishWaking up in the afternoon is my truthMorning or afternoon, getting up is my winRelaxed and peaceful sleep is now my dreamJolts and jerks with silent gruntingScreaming from annoying painMy new routine is not plainFeet and Legs want to coordinateWaist says,
Writing the “Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures Pocketbook” came about after many years of treating patients with PNES and training other clinicians in treating them. It has been humbling and rewarding to work with families and their children and watch them get better and grow into their adulthood. But this isn’t how my career initially started. In
The Psychogenic non-epileptic Seizures Pocketbook-Why Julia Doss wrote it Read More »
The first time I saw a patient diagnosed with PNES was when I was a neuropsychology fellow at an epilepsy center over 20 years ago. Early one morning, I was in a group of trainees and staff and we were visiting patients on rounds with the attending doctor. Before entering one of the rooms, the doctor
The Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizure Pocketbook: Why I wrote it Read More »
Every year, all profits from the sale of “Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: A guide” are donated to Epilepsy Alliance America, a wonderful foundation that hosts the Lorna Myers PNES Scholarship. This award is offered to any person living in the USA and who has a diagnosis of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. The money that is granted can
Join me in congratulating the 2023 Lorna Myers PNES Scholarship awardees! Read More »
For six years straight, the Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group (NEREG), hosted an annual PNES conference for patients, caregivers, and in the last few years, for health professionals too. Our last and sixth conference was held in 2019 and then, as we all know, the world ground to a halt due to the 2020 pandemic. So,
